Trailblazer 325 questions and need feedback

[Tryagn5]

Thanks cruiser for that info!!! very helpfully!!! ( also thanks to all who had some input)
From what it sounds like both unit have the same welding power.


Cruiser - what model (tb 325 or 305) is cheaper to fix? meaning circuit board costs? and what boards go out more on the tb325 and 305? and why?

Also would it help on the TB 325 to run a fan so it blows air cross the fins? as the saying goes a cooler engine is a happier engine maybe mount a fan behind the tb325 with some type of homemade shroud to help tunnel the air flow?

Thanks

I think any heating issues would be in a hot enviroment, ie texas heat...there are plenty of people in illinois running 325's with no overheating. Honestly we have had zero probelms with the 305s, there has bee issues with the 325's but that was last year and prior. I would be buying the welder based off price and service.
Kevin

[cruizer]

Engine fits pretty tight in the 325, and the flywheel pulls air in from the front, therefore has to cool the rectifier, and other componenets before it enters the engine. So on hot days, that air for the intake is already super heated.

So the idea of having cool dense are is already out the window. Blocking the intake air ports alows more of this air to hit the engine fins. opening the top air cleaner cover seems to work quite well. Still the unit is a reasonalble design. I don't have to weld with them, however once the patent on the Lincoln Chopper technology expired, Miller jumped on the band wagon, so virtually same technology, so same weld output.

There is absolutely zero reason for a board to pop once the engines are set for the correct RPM. Its the low frequency that kills them

[sjohn]

Thanks cruiser for that info!!! very helpfully!!! ( also thanks to all who had some input)
From what it sounds like both unit have the same welding power.


Cruiser - what model (tb 325 or 305) is cheaper to fix? meaning circuit board costs? and what boards go out more on the tb325 and 305? and why?

Also would it help on the TB 325 to run a fan so it blows air cross the fins? as the saying goes a cooler engine is a happier engine maybe mount a fan behind the tb325 with some type of homemade shroud to help tunnel the air flow?

Thanks

[cruizer]

Excell power is basically an 120vac inverter running off a winding, same thing could be done with a standard 1500 wt Canadian tire inverter running off your battery.

All the same its a neat idea to incorporate it into a welder.

The throttle encoder and fuel vac solenoid tend to freeze in the 325. Cover stops this in the winter. Another problem is that. You cannot mount these behind the cab, and ever expect to change your oil. Hot summer time issues have not been resolved, other than plugging the air intake ports, removing the plastic air cleaner cover and propping open the top cover. This allows more air to go over the engine fins and cool it down.

Problem with the Rangers has to do with emissions. This problem is with guys filling the tank neck up. Lincoln changed the position of the tank vent 3 times. Easily solved on the units by cutting the tank vent line ( next to the right side spark plug on a plastic nipple) I cut the hose back farther and stick in a 1/4 " screw. Then remove the hose from the air cleaner side and seal the hole with some Rtv. The fuel cap has to come out, just stick long pliers into the tank and pull up the plastic cap holder. Micro drill the shiny side of the cap to the centre, and a couple of holes under the cap to the centre. Now you can fill the neck up for an extra day of welding.

The EFI units are basically the same except the line going into the intake has to be plugged with a screw, and the line to the high pressure fuel pump is to be left open

Now both the Miller and Lincoln should be set at 62.5hz, the Miller can't as a throttle encoder is supposed to keep that engine under load at 60 hz. It doesn't and there is a new design I think that recently came out.

The ranger must be set at 62.5 hz warm. Works very well at that setting. However there is another problem, and won't happen till the engine has a few hours on it and that is that the low idle moves to high. It must be set to approx 38 hz. Top cover has to be removed to adjust the position of the idle solenoid. Don't bother with the carb or efi settings. Besides you want to inspect things anyways, like tightening the chopper board bolts.

[Tryagn5]

half of what....

Fuel is considerably less. Have owned both. About half

Byron

If you take a carbed 325 vs a carbed 305g, set the welder at 210 amps and weld away, both machines will use nearly the same amount of fuel. They both are the same engine. However if you use a 325 with excel power simply to run power tools, then yes it is going to shine in fuel savings.
If your welder is to be used day in and day out, efi is the way to go. Efi repays with fuek savings over hours of use.
Kevin

[sjohn]

also I see the Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) & Excel™ Power ARE Options and that will cost more so with that being said in my case lets compare basic models of the 325 and 305

[sjohn]

Same engine, only dif is low idle excell, and small rod not reving the engine up. Yes the weld is the same, as technology is identical. Quiet cause engine is reversed and exhaust pipe is longer. Really same economy with the Efi in the Ranger or the 325.

Both have their own sets of problems, spent days on each finding solutions.

could you please list the problems you know of with both models?

[Railmen]

Tb 325

I bought a 325 not that long ago, used to have the 302 then went to a pro300D, it's a great little machine lots of power for welding the weld at a idle is really nice at first it scared the **** out of me thinking that everytime it went back to idle I was going to have a defect in the weld, just did not seem right to have a welding machine go down in RPM's while welding, if you ever had a SA200 and you heard that sweet sound of the flat head change you knew something was going to happen with the weld.

I'm not sure where your located but here in south western Ontario it's been fricken cold here -25F to -30F and no problems with that little machine, some of my Lincoln diesels have not started.

Yes jumping starting is bad on those machine,😢

I bought the base model, if I was buying one again, it would be the one with EFI and excel power.....

I've had a few guys come by with the 305G and they say the to machine do weld really close to each other but the miller is quieter and use less fuel.

Railmen.

[bjfab]

Fuel

Fuel is considerably less. Have owned both. About half

Byron

[cruizer]

Same engine, only dif is low idle excell, and small rod not reving the engine up. Yes the weld is the same, as technology is identical. Quiet cause engine is reversed and exhaust pipe is longer. Really same economy with the Efi in the Ranger or the 325.

Both have their own sets of problems, spent days on each finding solutions.

[bjfab]

Welder comparison

305 has twice the noise and uses twice the fuel. Welds are similar

Byron

[sjohn]

Thats why i have 2 305g's...great welders.
Kevin

I am still checking and reading about them but sure seems that's the way to go

[Tryagn5]

hummm I have been reading about the TB325 hot and cold weather problems did miller fix the problems?


hummm maybe a Lincoln ranger 305? would be better

Thats why i have 2 305g's...great welders.
Kevin

[sjohn]

the sad thing is the more I read about the TB325... the worst I feel about buying one..


it seem the bobcat 250 which cost less has less problems with it!!!!

[sjohn]

hummm I have been reading about the TB325 hot and cold weather problems did miller fix the problems?


hummm maybe a Lincoln ranger 305? would be better